Net-7, Net-15, Net-30: Affiliate Payment Terms Explained

Affiliate payment terms define when and how CPA networks pay publishers their earned commissions. The most common terms are Net-30 (payment 30 days after the earning period), Net-15 (15 days after), and Net-7 (7 days after). Understanding payment terms is essential for managing cash flow — especially for media buyers who need to reinvest in paid traffic — and for choosing the right CPA network for your business.

Why Payment Terms Matter

Payment terms determine how long your money is tied up between earning it and receiving it. For a publisher earning $5,000 in January on a Net-30 schedule, that money doesn't arrive until the end of February (or early March). That's 30-60 days between generating the revenue and having cash in hand.

For media buyers, this cash flow gap is critical. If you spend $10,000 on ads in January and don't get paid until March, you need enough working capital to cover 2 months of ad spend before seeing returns. Shorter payment terms (Net-7 or weekly) dramatically reduce this capital requirement.

For publishers using free traffic (SEO, organic social, email), payment terms are less urgent but still matter for business planning and personal cash flow.

How Payment Schedules Work

Term	Earning Period	Payment Date	Total Wait Time
Net-7 (Weekly)	Monday-Sunday	Following week (7 days later)	7-14 days
Net-15 (Bi-Monthly)	1st-15th / 16th-End of month	15 days after period ends	15-30 days
Net-30 (Monthly)	Full calendar month	30 days after month ends	30-60 days
Net-60	Full calendar month	60 days after month ends	60-90 days

Net-30 Example

You earn $3,000 in commissions during January (Jan 1-31). On a Net-30 schedule, payment is issued 30 days after the earning period ends — so around February 28 or March 1. If you earned that money on Jan 1, you waited 60 days for payment. If you earned it on Jan 31, you waited 30 days.

Net-7 Example

You earn $750 during the week of Jan 6-12. Payment is issued around Jan 19-20. Maximum wait time is about 14 days from the start of the earning period — much faster cash flow than Net-30.

Payment Methods in Affiliate Marketing

Method	Speed	Typical Minimums	Fees	Best For
ACH / Direct Deposit	2-3 business days	$50-100	Free	US publishers, regular payouts
Wire Transfer	1-3 business days	$500-1,000	$25-50	International publishers, large amounts
PayPal	Instant-1 day	$50-100	Varies	Small publishers, convenience
Check	5-10 business days	$50-100	Free	US publishers who prefer paper
Bitcoin/Ethereum	Minutes-1 hour	$50-100	Network fee	International publishers, crypto preference

RevBoost offers ACH, wire, check, Bitcoin, and Ethereum payment options on a Net-30 schedule. Minimum payouts start at $50 for ACH, check, and crypto.

How to Get Better Payment Terms

• Build a track record — Networks offer better terms to publishers who've been consistent for 3-6+ months with quality traffic. Prove yourself first.
• Increase your volume — Higher-volume publishers have more negotiating leverage. A publisher generating $20K/month has more pull than one generating $500.
• Ask your affiliate manager — Many publishers never ask for better terms. Your AM can often arrange Net-15 or weekly payments if you have a solid history.
• Maintain low scrub rates — Networks are more willing to pay faster when your traffic quality is high and chargebacks/reversals are minimal.
• Prioritize networks with good payment reputations — Read publisher reviews and forums. Late payments or missed payments are the biggest red flag in the industry.

Minimum Payouts Explained

Most networks have a minimum payout threshold — you must accumulate at least that amount before a payment is issued. If the minimum is $100 and you've earned $80, your payment rolls over to the next period.

Common minimum payouts:

• $50 — Low threshold, publisher-friendly. Common at networks that work with smaller publishers.
• $100 — Standard threshold across most CPA networks.
• $250-500 — Higher threshold, often for wire transfers or larger networks.
• $1,000+ — Some enterprise programs. Less common for standard publishers.

Cash Flow Planning for Media Buyers

If you buy paid traffic, payment terms directly affect how much working capital you need:

Monthly Ad Spend	Net-30 Capital Needed	Net-15 Capital Needed	Net-7 Capital Needed
$5,000	$10,000 (2 months)	$7,500 (1.5 months)	$6,250 (1.25 months)
$20,000	$40,000	$30,000	$25,000
$50,000	$100,000	$75,000	$62,500

The difference between Net-30 and Net-7 for a $20K/month media buyer is $15,000 in required working capital. Faster payment terms let you scale faster with less capital.

Red Flags in Payment Practices

• Consistently late payments — If a network regularly pays 5-10 days after their stated terms, it's a warning sign of cash flow problems.
• Suddenly changing payment terms — Moving from Net-15 to Net-30 without explanation suggests the network is struggling financially.
• Unreachable finance department — If you can't get answers about pending payments, escalate to your AM or consider moving your traffic.
• "Hold" on payments — Networks sometimes place holds on large payments, claiming fraud review. While sometimes legitimate, extended or frequent holds are a red flag.
• Pushing to Net-60 or longer — Extremely long payment terms benefit the network at the publisher's expense. Avoid unless the payouts are exceptionally high.

Related Terms

• CPA (Cost Per Action) — The pricing model that generates publisher commissions
• Holdback Period — An additional delay some networks add before releasing earnings
• Affiliate Manager — Your contact for negotiating better payment terms
• RevShare — Revenue sharing model where payment terms affect recurring income cash flow
• Scrub Rate — Conversion rejections that reduce your final payment amount